Salisbury by-election, 1942
Encyclopedia
The Salisbury by-election, 1942 was a by-election
held for the British House of Commons
constituency
of Salisbury
in Wiltshire
on 8 July 1942. It was won by the Conservative Party
candidate John Morrison
, later Baron Margadale
.
Member of Parliament
(MP) James Despencer-Robertson
. He had won the seat at a by-election in 1931
, having previously been MP for Islington West
from 1922
to 1923
.
.
During World War II
, most by-elections were unopposed, since the major parties had agreed not to contest by-elections when vacancies arose in seats held by the other parties; contests occurred only when independent candidates or minor parties chose to stand, and the Common Wealth Party
was formed with the specific aim of contesting war-time by-elections.
In Salisbury, there were two independent candidates: W. R. Hipwell, standing as an "Independent Progressive" and J. D. Monro as an "Independent Democrat".
in 1965.
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
held for the British House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
constituency
United Kingdom constituencies
In the United Kingdom , each of the electoral areas or divisions called constituencies elects one or more members to a parliament or assembly.Within the United Kingdom there are now five bodies with members elected by constituencies:...
of Salisbury
Salisbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Salisbury is a county constituency centred on the city of Salisbury in Wiltshire. It elects one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, by the first past the post voting system....
in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
on 8 July 1942. It was won by the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
candidate John Morrison
John Morrison, 1st Baron Margadale
Major John Granville Morrison, 1st Baron Margadale, TD, DL was a British Conservative Party politician.He was appointed High Sheriff of Wiltshire for 1938 and was Member of Parliament for Salisbury from 1942 until 1965....
, later Baron Margadale
Baron Margadale
Baron Margadale, of Islay in the County of Argyll, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1965 for the Conservative politician John Morrison. As of 2009 the title is held by his grandson, the third Baron, who succeeded his father in 2003. The barony of Margadale is the...
.
Vacancy
The seat had become vacant on the death of the 55-year-old sitting ConservativeConservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) James Despencer-Robertson
James Despencer-Robertson
Lieutenant-Colonel James Archibald St George Fitzwarenne-Despencer Robertson OBE , born James Archibald St George Robertson, was a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom....
. He had won the seat at a by-election in 1931
Salisbury by-election, 1931
The Salisbury by-election, 1931 was a by-election held for the British House of Commons constituency of Salisbury in Wiltshire on 11 March 1931...
, having previously been MP for Islington West
Islington West (UK Parliament constituency)
Islington West was a borough constituency in the Metropolitan Borough of Islington, in North London.It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until it was abolished for the 1950 general election...
from 1922
United Kingdom general election, 1922
The United Kingdom general election of 1922 was held on 15 November 1922. It was the first election held after most of the Irish counties left the United Kingdom to form the Irish Free State, and was won by Andrew Bonar Law's Conservatives, who gained an overall majority over Labour, led by John...
to 1923
United Kingdom general election, 1923
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
.
Candidates
The Conservative candidate was 36-year-old John MorrisonJohn Morrison, 1st Baron Margadale
Major John Granville Morrison, 1st Baron Margadale, TD, DL was a British Conservative Party politician.He was appointed High Sheriff of Wiltshire for 1938 and was Member of Parliament for Salisbury from 1942 until 1965....
.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, most by-elections were unopposed, since the major parties had agreed not to contest by-elections when vacancies arose in seats held by the other parties; contests occurred only when independent candidates or minor parties chose to stand, and the Common Wealth Party
Common Wealth Party
The Common Wealth Party was a socialist political party in the United Kingdom in the Second World War. Thereafter, it continued in being, essentially as a pressure group, until 1993.-The war years:...
was formed with the specific aim of contesting war-time by-elections.
In Salisbury, there were two independent candidates: W. R. Hipwell, standing as an "Independent Progressive" and J. D. Monro as an "Independent Democrat".
Result
On a greatly reduced turnout, Morrison held the seat for the Conservatives, with more than two-thirds of the votes and a majority of 8,858. He held the seat until his elevation to the peeragePeerage of the United Kingdom
The Peerage of the United Kingdom comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Act of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great Britain...
in 1965.
Votes
See also
- Salisbury (UK Parliament constituency)Salisbury (UK Parliament constituency)Salisbury is a county constituency centred on the city of Salisbury in Wiltshire. It elects one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, by the first past the post voting system....
- SalisburySalisburySalisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
- Salisbury by-election, 1931Salisbury by-election, 1931The Salisbury by-election, 1931 was a by-election held for the British House of Commons constituency of Salisbury in Wiltshire on 11 March 1931...
- Salisbury by-election, 1965Salisbury by-election, 1965The Salisbury by-election, 1965 was a by-election held for the British House of Commons constituency of Salisbury in Wiltshire on 4 February 1965. It was won by the Conservative Party candidate Michael Hamilton.- Vacancy :...
- List of United Kingdom by-elections